The Last Ancient
by Roaring Flame Cat
Summary: A cross between FF VII and Kingdom Hearts: When Cloud and Aeris have a son named Sora they become one of the happiest parents. Until the Fateful day at Junon Harbor when the heartless attacked and separated the family... and thus out story unfolds...
1. Beginning

((Well here we are at the 1st chapter of The Last Ancient… Due to my recent noticing that over the extreemly long period of time I have gotten better at writing… It's driving me insane that chapters 1-3 utterly suck… I mean I've found things that don't make sense, typos, and a ton of other things that are driving me insane… so welcome back any of you who have been reading from the start… and welcome to any newcommers! Thank Leviathan you don't have to read my horrible mistakez… lol X3

Disclaimer: Kimahri EES one of ZEE great creations of the GODS known as Squaresoft… But Flame Cat girl no own Kimahri (Thank Valfor) or any of DEE wonderful creations such as Boy With Key, Man With Bed head, or Girl who steal Marbles from you're pocket when you no look… Or the dancing shadows that want to eat you're soul… DEY EAT YEW KIMAHRI SAY! … GASP WHAT EES KIMAHRI SAYING! DEY EAT KIMAHRI TOO! RUN SILLY PEOPLE WHO LOOK AT KIMAHRI LIKE HE HAVE ULSER! RUUUUUUUUUUUUUNNNNNNNN!

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**The Last Ancient **

**By: Roaring Flame Cat**

-For all those who love a good Final Fantasy VII-Kingdom Hearts crossover-

**Chapter I: Beginning**

"Oh Aeris… he's beautiful…" Cloud said as he held his newborn son in his arms. "Look, he has my eyes… and your beautiful brown hair…" He said stroking what little hair his son had on his head.

"I know… Isn't he wonderful?" Aeris said looking lovingly at her son. "Cloud, I want you to name him…"

"W-what? You mean I can!" Cloud said with the biggest smile a father could possibly have on his face.

"Yes. I think you would have the perfect name for him… and besides it's my way of saying thank you for making me the happiest person in this world…"

Cloud smiled lovingly at his wife and then back down at his son. He paused for a moment noticing his son was looking up into the sky and laughing, Cloud looked to the sky and tried to figure out what he was laughing about, when a name dawned on him.

"Yes… I have the perfect name… Sora Aeris Strife is the name I shall give to him because his eyes seem to see something in the sky that we are not able to see…" He said looking down at Sora and then back up to the sky, still trying to find what Sora was smiling and laughing about.

"That name seems to suit him quite nicely… and look Sora seems to have taken a liking to the name!" Aeris said as she looked down at Sora laughing and clapping his hands at the sound of the name. "Sora it shall be then…" She said as she kissed Sora on the forehead and then Cloud.

_**-Four years later-**_

"Daddy! Daddy! Lookie at the fishies! Sora said as he stared into the rainbow waters of the Junon Harbor.

"Yes daddy sees!" Cloud said imitating his son's hyper attitude. "Hey Sora you wanna meet one of daddy's friends?"

"OH YES DADDY!" Sora jumped up and down in pure delight. Cloud nodded and put his fingers to his lips, calling out a loud whistle when he blew.

The echo of the whistle mocked itself for a long time – each one calling to its brother and sister before getting bored and disappearing into the nothingness whence they came. Sora sent a glare up to his father as he removed his small hands from his ears. "Owch daddy!" he said in a bit of a stern voice.

"Ha… Daddy's sorry, but it's the only way to call daddy's friend. Look there he is now!" Cloud said as he averted the death-glare-giving boy's attention to the water again. A dolphin had jumped a good twenty feet in the air while happily making clicking noises-as it greeted the bed-head-man named Cloud.

"WOW! Is that your friend daddy!"

"Yes, his name is Mr. Dolphin. Do you want to meet him?"

"YES DADDY! YES! I want to meet Mr. Galfin!" Sora said jumping up and down so fast Cloud was sure he'd bounce to the sky.

"All right let's meet Mr. Dolphin!" Cloud said following Sora down the bank of the harbor. The dolphin began to click very happily and swam very close to the bank so that Sora could pet his silky smooth head.

The young boy was giggling and laughing like a hyena as he experienced a new sensation to the word 'smooth', while Cloud stood a few feet away with a smile that clearly read _"I'm the proudest father this side of the universe."_ Although Cloud was never one to complain, deep down he really wished his father was there for him as a young boy.

With a sight chuckle Cloud walked over to Sora and put his immense hand on the small shoulder of the boy, as it seemed to be swallowed up in his hand. "Hey Sora, you wanna see something Mr. Dolphin can do?" Cloud said kneeling down to Sora's eye level.

Sora nodded with a huge smile that seemed to engulf his small face. Cloud gave the dolphin a small pat on the head, and the dolphin scooped Sora onto its back and began to swim in circles in the harbor. At first Sora was a little startled but quickly began to laugh like a hyena again.

"Oh Cloud be careful with Sora!" Aeris called down to her husband in a bit of a worried tone. Ever since Sora had gotten into the _"Ooh what's that?" _phase, she has been extra cautious with him.

"Don't worry Aeris I'm watching him and the dolphin will catch him if he falls in! He won't let anything bad happen to Sora!" Cloud called back up to his worried wife.

Cloud had taken the family to the harbor for a vacation. Ever since WEAPON'S attack, the townspeople had seen a new light with the cannon being destroyed, so they all pitched in, in making Junon Harbor a very peaceful town, and a perfect vacation spot for someone who didn't like the heat of Costa De Sol.

Cloud continued to watch Sora and the dolphin as they swam in circles, Sora giggling the entire time.

"He's so cute riding the dolphin…" Aeris said taking a picture of Sora and then sitting down next to Cloud.

"You're telling me! I wish I had that much fun as a kid…" Cloud said as his smile grew a little smaller, as a few of his childhood memories began to slowly resurface. Although most of his bad or painful memories were long forgotten, one he could still clearly remember one, that wasn't really bad… more a fond memory that was a little uncomfortable to remember, now that he and Aeris were married.

The memory started out when Tifa were exploring a forest and had somehow lost their way.

"_Cloud… Are you sure you know where you're going?" _

"…"

"_CLOUD! Answer me!" Tifa called out in a worried tone._

"_We'll be outta here soon…"_

"_Cloud you know I don't like forests at night, they give me the creeps… ESPECIALLY when we're lost."_

"_Don't worry… I'll protect you from anything that might pop out…"_

_Silence._

_Tifa was about to speak up again when a bullfrog croaked, causing the already paranoid girl to jump strait into a mud puddle._

"_OH NO! My new dress! Mom's gonna kill me!" Tifa cried out trying to get some of the mud off the dress._

_Cloud couldn't help but burst out laughing._

_Tifa was about to knock Cloud's block off when she noticed the outskirts of Kalm._

"_Cloud! Look we're almost home!" The young fighter called out as she bolted towards the familiar landscape with Cloud following closely behind._

_Although… getting beaten with a spoon by Mrs. Lockheart as soon as they got home and she saw Tifa's mud splattered dress… REALLY made Cloud wish he was still lost in the forest…_

"Cloud you all right?" Aeris said leaning forward a little bit so she could see his face better.

Cloud snapped outta his daydream. And looked down at Aeris "Yes, I'm fine Aeris. I was just thinking about the past is all…" Cloud said as his mind seemed to wander a bit more.

"What about?" Aeris asked, her mouth slowly folding into a slight worried frown.

"Eh… Just a fond memory of Tifa and I in our childhood days… The one where Mrs. Lockheart beat me with a spoon…"

Aeris burst out laughing.

Cloud turned to her with an odd sort of look of confusion. "What's so funny?"

Aeris shook her head and smiled. "Oh, I'm sorry Cloud… I was only thinking of the time Sora found the draws with all the silverware in it…"

Cloud laughed upon the realization. "Ya, and all the silverware fell on his head when he pulled on the drawer when he used it as a ladder."

"Aw… I felt so sorry for him… thank God most of it was spoons and no knives."

"Ya, though you nearly smothered him to death, making sure he was ok…" He sent a playful glare to his wife. "I mean you were so concerned I couldn't even get near him without you ripping my arms off…"

"Oh, quit blowing everything out of proportion…" She laughed as she gave him a light punch on the arm and Cloud toppled over.

Sora saw that his parents seemed to be having a lot of fun, so feeling a bit left out he signaled the dolphin to swim as close to the shore and splash Cloud and Aeris.

The wave was as swift and as unexpected as a tidal wave and the next thing the couple knew they were soaked to the bone.

"HA HA! I got mommy and daddy wet!" Sora smiled and laughed along with the dolphin.

"Why you-" Cloud said pretending to be mad. "Get over here! You're in so much trouble now!" He said with a big smile on his face as he ran into the water and tried to splash the two laughing hyenas.

"Oh no Mr. Galfin daddy's gonna get us!" Sora said as he signaled for the dolphin to swim away from Cloud.

"When I get my hands on you-" Cloud said laughing as he tried to splash his son.

Aeris just laughed at the scene in front of her.

Hours later, and Cloud was sprawled out on the sandy beach trying to catch his breath. He never did get Sora wet... But hey at least he got some exercise.

"C'mon Cloud, Sora it's time to go back to the hotel!" Aeris called out as she gathered the odds and ends she brought with her.

"Bye-bye Mr. Galfin… I'll play again tomorrow I promise! Sora said giving Mr. Dolphin a hug and then chasing after his mother.

"Cloud are you coming!" Aeris called out to Cloud who looked like he was dead on the beach.

Between breaths Cloud managed to say that he would be in soon, and with that Sora and Aeris went back to the hotel.

As the sun set the stars began to pop out one at a time Cloud began to go deep into thought again. Thinking about random little things that popped into his head. When he saw one of the stars in the vast sky go out and disappear into noting.

"Hm… A bad omen…I'd better get inside before I catch my death." He said as he got up and walked toward the hotel. Taking one last look at the sky before entering the hotel. "What is it that you can see that I am unable?" He asked himself before walking into the hotel and going to his room where he was instantly tackled by Sora.

"DADDY!"

"Hi Sora, sorry daddy took so long…"

"Sora it's time for bed." Aeris said as she walked out of the kitchen.

"I'm beat… I think I'll go to bed as well…" Cloud said as he yawned and walked toward his room while Sora ran into his room to change into his pajamas. Aeris followed the young boy, to help him get ready for bed and then to tell a story to him.

A little later Cloud could hear Aeris telling Sora about one of his adventures. "Heh, that brings back memories…" Cloud said out loud to himself as he remembered all his adventures with his friends… When he first met Yuffie… err rather when Yuffie met them, when Vincent popped out of the coffin he was sleeping in, stealing the Tiny Bronco… The memories continued to flash before Cloud's eyes for quite sometime. When Aeris finally came into their room he snapped back to reality.

"You ok Cloud? You seemed to keep getting lost in your own little world, that was more like a nightmare… I swear I almost thought you were Vincent for a moment. Aeris said as he got ready for bed.

He gave a look of disbelief to Aeris before he responded, "No, I'm fine… It's just today was just one of those days were everything brings up memories about your past… And for some odd reason I kept having an odd feeling that something bad was going to happen…like a bad omen…"

"That's a bit odd. But I don't think it's anything to worry about… Times are a lot safer with Sephiroth gone…" Aeris replied climbing into bed next to Cloud.

He nodded, "Oh by the way how's Sora?"

"He's sound asleep."

"I guess riding the dolphin tuckered him out."

"You seemed pretty tired as well. But that's understandable, I mean chasing your son all day is quite a work out!" Aeris laughed as she curled up next to Cloud.

"True…" Cloud yawned and wrapped his muscular arm around Aeris and held her close to him. "G'night hun…"

"Night Cloud-kun…" She whispered before she fell into a peaceful sleep.

"See you in the morning…" Cloud yawned as he too drifted off to sleep.

An eerie silence seeped it's cold fingers into the room and pried Cloud sleep crusted eyes open around four "O" clock in the morning. Evil hung in the air like death on a battlefeild.

"Something's not right…" He looked around the room and saw Aeris was no longer curled next to him. "Aeris! AERIS WHERE ARE YOU!" Cloud exclaimed flying out of bed. "SORA? AERIS?" He checked his entire hotel room. No one but him was inside… "Damn!" he yelled as he bolted out of the hotel-not even bothering to put on a shirt, only his navy pants were worn to hide the fact that he was half naked.

When he got outside he noticed the town was completely abandoned-like a ghost town but that wasn't the only thing that was odd about that night… For above the Junon Harbor was a black orb that was coercing with negative energy. "What the Hell is that!" He exclaimed while still searching frantically for his family.

He didn't get far before he ran into hundreds of monsters that were black as shadows. "GET OUT OF MY WAY!" He screamed as he threw his fist toward the shadow. Cloud's punch didn't even phase the shadow, for when his punch hit the creature, it burst into a few large ball-like shapes and then reformed itself right by his stomach and gave him a hard punch and knocked the wind out of him.

Cloud went down clutching his stomach and gasping for air. "D-damn you……" The shadow just laughed at him and then disappeared into the earth.

He struggled to keep the bile down in his throat as he sat there clutching his stomach when he noticed the shadows gathering toward a certain area. "N-no… It couldn't be!" Despite the horrible pain in his gut, Cloud reluctantly got up and limped toward the pitch-black area.

"CLOUD HELP!" Aeris shrieked as shadows prowled closer to her and Sora.

"Mommy I'm scared…" Sora said as he clutched to Aeris' nightgown.

"Don't worry… mommy's right here with you," She said as she held Sora close to her. The shadows kept getting closer and closer until finally one of the shadows rose an arm and with claws like daggers, struck Aeris. She wasn't badly wounded but it was enough to make Cloud snap.

Like a Lion protecting his territory, Cloud charged for the shadows. "DON'T YOU DARE TOUTCH MY FAMILY!" Before he could get close enough to protect the ones he loved, the shadows combined themselves and became a medusa haired monster with a giant heart shape cut into it's stomach.

"AERIS!"

"CLOUD!" Aeris called still clinging to Sora. As she was lifted higher and higher into the sky in the hand of the now twenty story shadow.

"UNHAND MY WIFE!" Cloud screamed out at the monster. It stood there silently, staring down at Cloud with glowing yellow orbs, one would assume were eyes.

Cloud was just about to attack the shadow when it stretched it's other hand toward him and picked him up as well.

Cloud struggled to get free but it was no use… whatever this creature was… it's wasn't going to release Cloud any time soon. When Cloud had given up the struggle he looked around at what was once Junon Harbor. Bit by bit the surrounding area was being torn up from its roots and sucked into the orb that still floated ominously above the harbor.

Within the debris he saw the dolphin being sucked up with everything else. And like a china cup falling on the floor he heard Sora cry out, "MR. GALFIN! NOOOOOOOOOO!"

Cloud hearing Sora cry out like that made him want to die. He turned his head and screamed, "WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON!" Silently as if to somehow respond Cloud's question the shadow giant put Cloud in it's other hand and then held it's arm high above it's head. After a moments pause the giant released the family into the sky where they would soon be sucked into oblivion.

Cloud looked down at the silent giant, and for a split second he could've sworn it looked a lot like Rude. Tall, silent, and eyes that were almost unreadable. He would've continued his strange thoughts when he heard Aeris call to him.

"Cloud-"

His neck whirled around to see her extending her hand out to him so if they were going to die they would die together… Cloud grabbed her hand and wrapped his arms around Aeris who still had Sora in her arms.

"Mommy are we gonna be ok?" Sora said with tears still flowing out of his eyes.

"Don't worry Sora we're all gonna ok. You don't have to be scared." Although Aeris didn't know if that was true or not. Cloud tightened his grip on Aeris, closed his eyes, and quietly preyed that they would all survive as he, Aeris, and Sora were sucked into the black orb.

For anyone looking at the stars that night would see another star disappear in the vast galaxy-home to many worlds still unknown to us…

((A/N: Ok my writing must really suck… because this is like the 3rd time I have rewritten this… GAWD! … Ah well… I really don't mind it all that much I just like to over exaggerate at every little detail my mind can possibly exaggerate on… lol XD))


	2. Separation

(('Allo and welcome back to my story! X3 lol I had so laugh at how some of you guys who reviewed were probably like –slaps self in head- MAN I could've thought of that! X3 Well to tell the truth I was like that too when I first read "kids", but then I had my own little ideas of doom and then my idea dragon came back and inspiration hit and all that jazz…

Well I'm still fixing the chapters… And thiz one I have to completely rewrite… Why did my writing have to suck…? Lol XD Ah well…

Disclaimer: …Does Kimahri really have to do 'dis silly t'ing? Kimahri think that if people weren't so STOOPID Kimahri wouldn't have to say at da beginning of every little chapter that Flame Cat Girl no own us… and Kimahri still EES thankful… -bows-))

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**Chapter II: Separation**

… Silence… Not a single sound could be heard for miles. Only the swirling of the black abyss could be seen.

'How long have we been here?' Cloud thought as he eyed the abyss as it flashed like thunderclouds.

Sora was unusually quiet. He hadn't said a word ever since he saw the dolphin in the debris. "You ok Sora?" Cloud asked.

Sora didn't say a word. He just kept starring off into the black clouds, with a look of great concern on his face. A look that Cloud had never seen on his son's face.

Aeris was the next to speak, "What do you think this place is?"

Cloud looked down at her with a look of uncertainty. "I'm not sure."

**_This world has been connected… Tied to the darkness…_**

Cloud looked around for the source of the unknown voice, but to no avail. "Who are you? What are you saying?"

**_You will gain the power to fight… Use this power to protect yourself and others…_**

_**There will be times when you have to fight… Keep your light burning strong…**_

_**For the door won't open just yet…**_

_**The closer you get to the light, the greater your shadow becomes…**_

_**But don't be afraid… and don't forget…**_

_**You are the one who will open the door…**_

As quickly and quietly the voice had come, it vanished.

A long silence seeped in before Aeris' voice echoed out. "What… was that…?"

"A prophecy…" a metallic voice echoed out.

Everyone froze, and Cloud tightened his grip on Aeris again and looked strait ahead into the black clouds. Slowly a few pigments of color began to spill into the area Cloud was staring at. It started as a few grays, then pale blues and not before long, a few faint glimmers of purple began to show itself. "Something's coming…."

No sooner had he said that, the lightning went insane and the black clouds around them clashed like furious waves of an ocean. Sora yelped at each clash of the thunder and continued to bury his head into Aeris' chest, hoping to muffle out the roar of the thunder. Aeris jumped a few timed but she knew that she would be safe as long as Cloud held her in his arms.

Cloud averted his glance from one lightning bolt to another, as if trying to study its movements. Then his eyes locked onto the whirlpool in a death-glare as the lightning bolts were drawn to the center of it.

"I've been expecting you Cloud……" A bone chilling voice called out and echoed through the abyss. The voice stunned Cloud for a long period of time. "Oh… What's wrong Cloud aren't you happy to see me?" The voice called out again.

"I-I-It couldn't be…….." Aeris looked up in pure terror at the whirlpool.

"Oh yes Aeris… It _can_ be…." The voice echoed again as a gloved hand reached out of the whirlpool.

Sora's heart began to race as a silver haired man began to materialize from what seemed to be, thin air. Aeris would've tried to comfort the poor young boy, but she to was terrified. Here staring strait at her was the person who had killed her with a single blow, and then was believed to be dead.

"Come, come now… is this anyway to say hello?" Sephiroth said as his cold eyes averted themselves from one member of the family to the other.

Cloud was the first to speak. "How can you be here? You're supposed to be dead…" He said with a cold chill in his voice.

"I can ask the same thing about the flower girl you hold in your arms…" Sephiroth replied.

'_Flower girl?'_ Sora asked himself as he looked to his mother and wondered why the one called Sephiroth called her "flower girl."

"Cloud… What are you holding in your arms besides the flower girl?" Sephiroth said averting his glance to the lump of brown hair nuzzled in Aeris' chest.

"Nothing that concerns the likes of a murderer like you…" Cloud said coldly.

Sephiroth was taken aback for a moment but after looking like he was thinking, he stretched out his hand in front of him and snapped his fingers. Within a matter of seconds millions of the dancing black shadows materialized and locked their glowing yellow eyes on the three floating "victims."

"Bring me the young one."

The heartless obeyed without hesitation. They swarmed around the trio and smothering them and making it near impossible to hold onto Sora. Cloud gave it his all to hold onto his small family but the shadows were surprisingly strong for their size, and within a matter of moments Sora was held up to Sephiroth by hundreds of little claws.

Sora remained silent. To scared to scream out. Sephiroth eyed Sora with the same bloodthirsty look he gave Aeris as he pulled the sword from her spine. His gloved hand reached out to pluck Sora from the creatures' grasp, but he paused averting his eyes to the blond screaming his head off while the creatures continues to gather just to hold him still.

"Silence him…" The words rolled off Sephiroth's tongue like a snake hiss. Cloud screamed until he turned red in the face, and then was silenced by the shadows engulfing his entire body. Aeris watched in horror as she thought he was suffocating when the cold voce echoed again. "Fear not "flower girl" no harm will come to him… as long as this one cooperates…" Sephiroth, said once again eyeing Sora.

Tiny beads of sweat began to trickle down his neck, but he paid no mind to them. He was more concerned with the man in front of him.

Sephiroth ran his hand through Sora's hair very roughly. Like a newborn petting a cat to death. He began to smile as if he had discovered something, as he tilted Sora's face left and right, then up, forcing Sora's endless-sky blue eyes to look into his cold aquamarine orbs.

He burst out laughing which cause everyone to nearly jump out of their skin. "This one is defiantly a Strife! The natural "bed head" with the coloration of the "flower girl's", oh… and those big blue eyes that could bee seen through the darkest night." He continued to laugh. "Cloud what have you done?" Sephiroth's cackle could be herd for miles within the darkness.

"I like that I have mommy's hair! And daddy's eyes!" Sora's shrill voice caused Sephiroth to silence and focus on the boy.

He remained silent, starring down at Sora with a bloody cold stare. "And the courage of your father…" he whispered in a voice, that could stab through the thickest armor. Something snapped in Sephiroth and the next thing Aeris could see was Sephiroth's hand squeezing Sora's neck.

Aeris let out a shrill scream and tried to run to save her son, but the Heartless quickly gathered and pulled her away.

"INSOLENT WHELP! NO ONE EVER INTERUPTS ME! **EVER!**" Sephiroth's grasp got tighter.

_'Oh god… I'm gonna die… mommy…daddy… someone… please………help!' _Sora thought desperately as he could feel the life slowly draining, his airway slowly closing in.

"Now die…" A murderous smile curved his lips.

Sora's heart beat slower, his struggling getting weaker, his eyes fading, breaths getting short. _'Please…………………………………………help me…' _Just as Sora's life was almost gone a pure white light erupted from what seemed the middle of nowhere. The light caught Sephiroth so badly off guard he dropped the boy into the endless black clouds below them.

Sora was to tired to mentally thank who… or whatever had helped him… he just let out a sigh of relief and prayed he would wake up, and this nightmare would be over.

"DAMN LIGHT!" Sephiroth screamed out as he shielded his eyed from the intense light. The heartless couldn't survive within the light so they slowly began to disappear into the realm from whence they came.

Cloud and Aeris too, were being dragged away with the Heartless. "CLOUD!" Aeris screamed out hoping he could hear. Luckily the Heartless didn't pay any mind to the fact that Cloud wasn't completely covered so Cloud heard Aeris loud and clear.

Flustered, Cloud screamed the first thing that came to mind. "NO MATTER WHERE WE GO I FIND YOU! SORA TOO!"

Aeris was about to say her goodbye and that she loved him, but the Heartless dragged her into the shadows far to quickly for her to get a single word out.

Cloud closed his eyes as he felt his body being pulled into the cold shadows. "Fare… well…"

Sephiroth cursed himself and the light and every other thing that popped into his mind as he was nearly blinded by the light. "Dammit…" He fled the once black abyss as it was engulfed in the light. "Mark my words… you will die at my hands…" His voice echoed as he disappeared into the darkness whence he came… and then there was noting… only the chime of a bell...

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((A/N: Well I'm happy… the re-write of this chapter kicks the pants off the original! X3 Although I just realized… because of this change… Chapter III haz no perpose… lol XD Ah well I guess it's kinda for the better… I hated that chapter too… XD Well 2 chapterz fixed and if I remember right… only one more to go!)) 


	3. Awakening Part I: Island

((A/N: FINALLY THE LAST CHAPTER I HAVE TO FIX! –dances- I have to make a mental note to always read my work over and over and over before I post it… XD

Disclamer: KIMAHRI NO WANNA DO DIS! KIMAHRI GET NO PAY AND EES FORCED TO STAND THERE AND LOOK "FUZZY" WHILE FLAME CAT GIRL SIT THERE LOOKING AT COM-PEE-U-TOR SCREEN WITH BLOOD RED EYES THAT WANT TO EAT YEW! FLAME CAT GIRL YOU ARE SO CREWL! THE LEAST FLAME CAT GIRL COULD DO EES LET KIMAHRI TAKE ANGER OUT ON BOY-WITH-ROCKS-FOR-BRAIN-WHO-SAY-YUNA-EES-A-HAWT-MAMA!

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**Chapter III: Awakening  
****Part I: Island**

Soft waves echoed in the distance. Seagulls could be heard calling back and forth to each other and the leaves of the trees could be heard swaying in the salty breeze.

_'…………… W-where am I? ……. Mommy? Daddy? Where are you…?'_ Sora thought quietly to himself, as him mind struggled to release itself from the binding darkness that clouded his thoughts.

It took him some time but he eventually opened his eyes and viewed his surroundings. He was on an island with some trees scattered along the sandy beach. Sora looked to his left and then to his right hoping to find his parents. But to his disappointment he only saw the ocean and sand.

"I'm alone……" He mumbled as he hugged his knees and buried his face in them and silently cried.

"HEY! Suzanne! C'mere quick!" An unknown voice called out.

Sora looked up quickly at the voices and the footsteps coming towards him and quickly hid behind a nearby tree. _'Daddy said to hide from strangers until he comes and helps me if I'm lost…'_ he told himself as he dried his tears so his vision wouldn't be blurred.

The footsteps got louder and faster and it sounded like there were two people. "I'm coming, I'm coming…. Jeeze quit pulling on me… you know how much I hate that…" A female's voice responded to the voice who had called her. "Now what in the world do you wanna show me Riku?"

Riku turned to the female and then pointed toward one of the trees. "There's someone behind that tree…" Riku said flatly as the female averted her gaze to the tree where Sora was peering his head around ever so cautiously.

"Another one, Eh?" She let out a sort of sad sigh and then sat down in the sand. "Heh, no need to be afraid… We're here ta help." Suzanne said calmly to Sora. "C'mon out…"

Sora looked at the girl who was called Suzanne with a bit of confusion. She was wearing a long navy blue coat and a bandanna on her head. She wore a black shirt and blue jeans. It was pretty warm and here she was in clothes that looked better suited in colder climates like that of Kalm or Wutai.

"Suzanne… You can already tell he's not gonna come out anytime soon…" Riku said with a bit of a moan.

"Hush… You were exactly like this when you appeared outta nowhere on _my_ island." Suzanne replied with a bit of a bored glare. Riku only huffed as he walked toward the ocean and began to kick the shin deep water around.

"Y-you're island…?" Sora asked in a very quiet voice.

Suzanne nodded. "Mm hmm…"

"Are you… Did I…" Sora seemed at a loss for words. He couldn't really figure out how to word what he was trying to ask.

"Why don't you tell us your name and then I can answer any questions you have." She said with a little smile.

"Uhm… M-my name's S-Sora…"

"Sora… like as in sky?"

"Y-yes… daddy named me that 'cus I looked like I could see somethin' up d'ere."

"How old are you?" Suzanne asked with an arched eyebrow.

"Four…" he said quietly again.

"Ah… I see…" She gave a little laugh and a smile as she dusted herself off as she stood up. Sora nodded slightly and then looked up at her with eyes that said 'I'm sorry…' Suzanne just laughed a little before she spoke again "It's ok… Riku here has a bark worse than his bite.…" She pointed her thumb behind her to Riku.

Sora looked at her confused. "Is he a dawg?"

Suzanne burst out laughing, "Oh no, it's an expression! It just means although he looks like a baddie, he's really a nice kid once ya get ta know him."

Riku over heard and as soon as she finished talking he turned around and stuck his tongue out as far as he could.

"Keep that tongue in you're mouth or I'll byte it off…" She said with a small glare. He didn't listen so she just shrugged it off. And tuned back to Sora. "You wanna come with us? My house would be a lot safer than being behind that tree at night."

Sora envisioned himself still behind the tree at night and some horrible monster coming to take him away… Or even worse than a monster would be that man with the silver hair. "Y-yes… Please…" He quickly responded

"Well you're gonna have to come out from behind that tree if you wanna get ta my house. Sora nodded and then slowly walked out from behind the tree.

"-Before we go…" He quietly said.

"Hmm?"

"Did you see my daddy? …Or mommy…?"

Suzanne looked at him with sad eyes. "Sorry… I haven't. You're the only one we've found so far.

His eyes seemed to fill with despair and pain as he tilted his head downward.

Suzanne could see that he was obviously heartbroken by this, which caused some of her own memories to resurface-painful ones. She quietly knelt down and opened her arms wide. "Do you need a hug?"

He stood his ground for a while before walking into her arms. She wrapped them around him and whispered in his ear, "It's ok to cry if it'll help ya." It was a little uncomfortable for her… she was never the motherly type… but for some reason seeing Sora so sad compelled her to comfort him. Although, silently in the back of her mind she wished that someone was there for her when… it happened.

Sora's shoulders shook as he tried to suppress his tears, but he eventually let them flow freely down his cheeks. Like little crystal spheres each flowed down with the greatest of ease. Although Suzanne said nothing-she had to laugh in her mind, for when she saw Sora crying she thought of rain from the "sky."

"It's ok… I too know what it's like to be all alone… I know… Shh….." She whispered as she rubbed his back.

Although Riku didn't seem to pay any mind, he did seem to feel a bit sorry for the boy. But yet at the same time he felt like he and Sora were the same… Lost on an island, separated from their parents, it was quite a lonely life if he thought about it. But he quickly shook his head to prevent himself from doing so.

A few minuets of Suzanne's comfort and Sora was fine. "All better?" Sora nodded with a yawn. "Here… Jump on. I'll carry ya." She said turning her back to him so he could climb on. "Ok let's go Riku."

'FINALLY!' Riku screamed in his head. As much as he _loved_ to see Suzanne show that she had a soft side, he wanted to be home so he could eat something and then go exploring. He quickly followed her without a sound.

-A little past sunset -

"Hnn…"

"You awake?" Suzanne asked. "Heh looks like you took a little nap."

"Kind…a…" He responded while kneading his hands with the heel of his hand.

"We're almost ta my house… You'll be in a bed soon." She reassured him.

"Where are… we?"

"We're somewhere in the center of the island… I built my house as much as I could inside the jungle so that other people would think this island is deserted."

Sora nodded and looked back to see Riku trotting along at a relatively quick pace for someone his age and size. He then looked down to see that there was nothing but large deep roots beneath their feet. 'Are we in the trees? Or on the ground?' Sora asked himself; everything was just so green it was hard to tell what was up and what was down.

Suzanne's long coat billowed as she moved past the wind and surfed gracefully over green foliage. Sora watched it with an intrigued look as he started to remember Junon Harbor with its rainbow colored water. His mind slowly started to wander but it came to an abrupt stop when Suzanne stropped dead in her tracks.

"Ah! We're here!" Suzanne announced. Sora looked to in front of him to find a huge house. House? This was a mansion in the trees!

"WOAH!" Sora yelped. "T'is is _you're_ house?"

"Yup. Built it myself with the help of my friend… and family…………" She trailed off. And for a split second looked extremely sad. But she quickly snapped out of it. "Well let's get up there!"

"How?"

"… Well you seem too tired to climb up a rope or stairs… so… You wait here and I'll bring down the lift!" She set Sora down and then jetted off past one of the huge tree trunks.

Sora replayed the image of Suzanne running off and how it looked as if she was flying almost. "Wow… Is she always that fast?"

"No… not all the time… but when she's excited, yes…" Riku said looking up to the mansion in the treetops, waiting for the lift to come down.

"How's she move so fast?"

"You'll find out sooner or later… It's best not to overwhelm you with to many things at once."

Sora nodded, even though he didn't quite understand. He and Riku waited for a moment and a cutout in the wooden floor that, from their perspective was a celing, a lift came crashing to the ground. Sora didn't expect a lift to come down so he let out a scream like a little girl in fright for a second.

"Soooooooorry! I didn't mean for it to come down so hard!" Suzanne called down through the cutout where the lift once was. "Jump on! I'll make sure it goes up slow!"

Riku casually walked on like it was no big deal, but Sora had a few problems.

He seemed to be in a state of shock, and couldn't move. Suzanne tried to calmly lure Sora on the lift, but in the end Riku got him on by pushing him a couple hundred times.

The lift's gears creaked and let out a slamming sort of moan as they shifted into place and lifted the platform back into the mansion. Sora clinged to the railing for dear life, as he didn't deal with heights to well.

When the two were finally in the mansion Suzanne gave Riku a small slap on the head for being too hasty with Sora. The two started to argue a little but after a second they dropped the subject and Riku walked off to the kitchen to get something to eat, saying that he was just hungry.

Suzanne watched Riku for a second and then finally opened her arms wide and said, "Welcome to my mansion OF DOOM!" Sora jumped a bit when he heard that, but then Suzanne reassured him the "of doom" part was something she said because it was fun to say.

"Ah… Well would you rather explore first or take a nap?"

Sora yawned and nodded. Suzanne knew that, that nod meant he wanted to go to bed so she took his hand in hers and walked to one of the rooms with a closed door and opened the door wide. "You can stay in this room ok?" Sora nodded and crawled into the bed; too tired to really exclaim how the room was decorated with the theme "ocean."

"Do you want the light on or off?" She never received an answer for her question; for Sora was already asleep. She quietly laughed and turned all of the lights but one, just in case, and then closed the door and walked to help Riku in the kitchen. "He's gonna have a wonderful stay…" Suzanne said with a smile.

* * *

((A/N: WOOT THE LAST CHAPTER! I'M DONE FIXING THE CHAPTERS! Don't worry… I'll make sure that something like thiz never happens… within the next month… XD … Now if you'll excuse me I have to torture Kimahri by reciting the next chapter's disclaimer….

Kimahri: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!))


	4. Awakening Part II: Castle

((A/N: Well here we all are back at The Last Ancient… The chapters are all fixed and I'm happier with how the chapters are flowing now… Well a little forewarning… thiz chapter haz a LOT of Yuffie… a LOT…lot… lot… of yuffie… I really had to do a chapter with Yuffie… and the annoying yellow scarf… I had to share my idea of why she wore the thing... Green waz always more Yuffie's color… ah well…

Disclaimer: Flame Cat Girl owns set of pointy shuriken… she WILL use them… trust Kimahri… she own noting else but those…

* * *

**Chapter III: Awakening**  
**Part II: Castle**

Aeris awoke to the sound of footsteps. Quiet at first but they grew louder with each step. _'Who's coming…? C-cloud?'_ She tried to open her eyes but they felt like cinder blocks were hanging off of them.

"OH MY GAWD! NO WAY!" Someone screamed out in delight. "OHMIGAWD AERIS!"

_'Who's calling? And why so loud…?'_

"Aeris! Aeris! Wake up!" The voice echoed in her head like in a cave where the echo would never silence.

"Yu…fie…?"

"Aeris!" Yuffie screamed out and hugged the still dazed Cetra. "YOU'RE ALIVE!"

Aeris still being half dazed and half-confused had no idea what to say. Her brain had yet to catch up with what was happening, but the first thing the managed to squeak out was, "Where are we?"

"Oh! Sorry Aeris," Yuffie quickly said as she let go of the flower girl from her grasp. "We're in Hallow Bastion! … A castle so to say…" She seemed to trail off with the last sentence.

Aeris slowly began to piece the new information together in her mind and the fist question that popped in her head was "Where's Cloud?"

Yuffie looked a bit puzzled but then replied, "I haven't found Cloud yet… Only Cid and a man named Squall."

Aeris looked down in a seemingly desperate way to hide the fact that she was heartbroken over the fact that Cloud was not there. Yuffie was about to speak when another set of footsteps was heard down the corridor and a deep male's voice was heard.

"My name is Leon, Yuffie…"

"Oh speak of the Da Chao! It's Squally-poo!"

"Call me that again and I'll kill you..."

Yuffie stuck out her tongue and began to dance in circles around "Leon." "Ya sure whatever _Squall_ I bet you don't even have a _real_ weapon… only you're big-ass ego!" Yuffie laughed and continued to chant the name "Squall" Over and over again until finally in the blink of an eye Yuffie was pinned to the floor by a half sword half gun.

"It's called a Gunblade… and you better hope you are never on the wrong side of it…" Leon said coldly.

"H-HEY! Stop it! That's my friend you're picking on!" Aeris said standing up now, and full aware of what was going on.

Leon arched and eyebrow at her. "A friend you say…? What good has she ever done for you?"

"She was a dear friend to me and the rest of AVALANCHE. And together they saved the world."

"What do you mean 'they'?"

Aeris was silent for a moment. Not really knowing how to say that she got killed half way through their journey.

Leon moaned and hoisted the Gunblade onto his shoulder and began to walk off, but before he was out of sight he mumbled, "Whatever… I really don't care if she saved the world or the universe… Friends really don't exist… In the long run they end up becoming burdens to you and if not-the scars of their loss never heal…"

He trailed off and before he was completely outta site he said in a voice that echoed the corridor, "And Yuffie, you're still the biggest brat I have ever met."

Yuffie instantly got steamed up over that last comment. "Ooh! YOU JERK!" She screamed out and tossed her conformer at him at full force. Leon was to far down to tell if he got hit or not, but one sound made Yuffie smile like a kid who just got revenge on he biggest bully in school, was the quick painful yelp of Leon and then the sound of the conformer dropping to the ground.

"Serves you right SQUALL!" She laughed and waved, though she didn't care if he could see her or not.

Aeris let out a little giggle and Yuffie turned to her giving her the victory sign. "Ya! The Great Ninja Yuffie strikes again!" Aeris and Yuffie let out a cheer and pretended (well Aeris at least) to be ninjas in the night.

"Oh Aeris! Why don't I show you around? And who knows? Maybe we'll stumble upon Cloud too if we look _everywhere._" Yuffie said with a sneer.

"What do you mean _everywhere_?" Aeris asked confused.

"There are many rooms… certain ones for _guys_ and certain ones for _girls…_and then the_ forbiden_ rooms..."

Aeris gasped out ina giggle. "Oh Yuffie you wouldn't!"

"I'll do anything at this point in time to get revenge on Squall… He'll RUE the day he crossed The Great Ninja Yuffie's path!" She said holding her fist triumphantly in the air.

Aeris just giggled and followed Yuffie down the random corridors as she screamed out 'I'M GONNA STEAL YOU'RE MATERIA'. She was very happy to see her old friend again.

"Hey Yuffie?"

"Wut up Aeris Meh homedawg?"

Aeris looked at Yuffie with a very confused look on her face but laughed it off when Yuffie said she was doing a crude impression of Barret. "Where were you before the planet got engulfed in darkness?"

Yuffie stopped in her tracks and seemed to be deep in thought. "Well I recall traveling from Costa De Sol to the Gold Saucer. I was uber stressed and needed to unwind. I wanted Vinny to come with so I could steal his wallet—Er I mean have some company… But he was being all… 'No I must sleep for all eternity… I am a monster out to eat you in de night… rawr….' So I left without him…

Well an hour after playing some games I wanted to rest so I flopped down on a bench in the Event Arena, and then I heard some HUGE rumbling a crashing sounds… Screams were heard everywhere and then beneath my feet the ground turned black and the chair I was sitting in began to sink. I jumped off it and tried to find a way to escape…

At that point the dome above the square shattered into millions of pieces because of these HUGE black monsters with glowing yellow eyes… and it looked like there was a heart cut into their stomachs. I knelt down and held my head in my hands to protect myself from the falling glass, because at that time there was absolutely NOTHING to take cover under… at least nothing that wasn't being sucked into the floor.

"I thought to myself that I had to escape, but when I reached the edge of the arena and looked out on the rest of the world… I saw this wasn't the only place it was happening, the whole planet was being swallowed in darkness, so I abandoned the idea of escaping anytime soon. I was about to try and call the others but as soon as I turned around I was surrounded by black dancing shadow… like… things…

"I fought some of the black creatures off due to at the time I thought of it as a drill and a way to get some good experience… but nothing I did seemed to effect these creatures… Then I looked out in the direction of Junon Harbor and saw this huge black materia looking… thing. And everything was being sucked into it. The wind picked up in like, a split second and I could feel myself losing my traction on the floor. I grabbed onto one of the edges of the broken dome in hopes to save myself but at the same time I could hear myself screaming out in my mind for someone to help me.

"My hands slowly began to slip and I could hear those things laughing at me, and coming closer. I had no doubt in my mind that I wasn't going to hold on for longer… and just as I thought I was a goner Vinny appears outta nowhere, flies over all the black things, and catches me in mid air just as I let go of the rim. He locked his hand on mine, and the clawed arm dug itself into the metal of the arena, and told me in a voice I almost thought sounded concerned and caring that he would never let go. I tried to grasp his hand with my other arm but the wind was far to strong now.

"I could see the monsters clawing at his ankles and slowly climbing up his legs. I couldn't tell if they were trying to get to me, or trying to drag him down. I could see the strain in his eyes. The monsters at his ankle, his clawed arm slowly loosing it's grip, the determination to not let me go. I could see it all.

"Then the inevitable happened. The Event Square broke free from the rest of the Gold Saucer and Vinny was still holding onto me. More monsters had gathered and they were now up to his waist. I couldn't stand being so helpless… Though I didn't know what to do-What could I do? Vincent only looked into my eyes, as if trying to tell me something. He looked down at the monsters and then back up at me and let go of the edge of the arena, and started looking for something on his person.

"Then he pulled out a small box with a green bow on it and he said 'I'm sorry for not coming earlier, I hope this small gift will suffice.' Vinny held the present as close to me as he could, but I couldn't grab it for what seemed like forever. Gawd how retarded I felt. When I finally grabbed it I shoved it under my sweater so I could keep hold of it. I mean it was a small box… but not small enough to put in my pocket. I only wished I could've accepted it in a less awkward way… and then to give him a hug in thanks…

"Those monsters now were by his stomach. And I could see him still see him struggling under them. Gawd I wished those things had just left him alone when he let go of the arena. I looked up to see more monsters flying overhead and they looked like big red Bahamut-like creatures… One swooped down and sped right toward us. Before I knew what happened Vinny and me were separated and I was being sucked into the black orb. Vinny called out my name and I his… and then I saw nothing but darkness…

"When I awoke I was in a bed here… and a man named Ansem was sitting in a chair beside me. He told me of how I got there and where I was, but all I cared about was the gift… and Ansem said that I had never let go of it no matter what he did. I mean he wasn't trying to take it from me but while he was carrying me to the room I awoke in I never let go of it.

"When Ansem had finished, he told me that he would bring up some breakfast and then he left the room. When I was certain he was gone I tore open the present. I only wanted my eyes to see inside that box…" Yuffie finally trailed off as she absentmindedly picked at her pants.

"What was inside it?" Aeris finally asked after being so quiet the entire story.

Yuffie then drew her arm up to her neck and gave the yellow scarf she was wearing a tug.

Aeris looked quite confused. "Yuffie… If you don't mind me asking… Why a scarf?"

Yuffie remained silent for a long tome before answering. "On the way from the Game Square to the Event Square I passed a small cart salesmen. She was selling all sorts of items she had picked up from her travels on the planet. But what was special about these items is that each one brought or gave you something… like love or happiness. She had some stuffed bears and she said the legend behind them was if you were to make your own and then give it to someone you like, and they were to name the bear after you then you were destined to fall in love. But it would only work if the other person were to do the same… Like I would have a bear named after someone and then that someone the bear was named after would have one named Yuffie."

Aeris could tell by the way Yuffie was acting that she was thinking of Vincent the entire time while giving the description-though she knew all to well Yuffie would do _anything_ to keep her feelings hidden. But Yuffie, as great a ninja as she was, she sucked at hiding her emotions.

"Anyway I thought that one was cute… but I'm not really good at arts and crafts… so I continued browsing, that's when I came across the scarves. There was a blue one and a yellow… and the shopkeeper said that the men had to give the woman a yellow or vice versa for it to work… The shopkeeper mentioned something about a Yaoi or Yuri relationship if the scarves were mixed. Well she told me the legend was the scarf represented the others arms and when you wrapped it around you're neck it was supposed to represent an embrace from the other and the warmth of their arms. It was like a way of showing you cared for them; and were willing to protect the other."

The realization popped into Aeris' head; Vincent had given Yuffie the scarf to show he cared for her. And it _proved_ her feelings were not one-sided. Yuffie picked at the scarf with a blush on her face. "Did you give Vincent a scarf?" Aeris asked holding her hands behind her back, bending over, and looking up into Yuffie's face.

Yuffie remained silent and her absent-minded picking at the scarf stopped. Aeris knew this could mean one of two things; She bought the scarf but didn't give it to him, or she didn't buy him one at all.

"I-I thought about it," Yuffie began, her blush getting deeper. "B-but I though Vinny wouldn't accept it… or he would never put it on… or…" She trailed off again.

"Or?" Aeris pressed Yuffie to continue on.

The blush on Yuffie's face darkened. "W-will you promise n-not to laugh?"

"Yuffie I would never do such a thing!" Aeris reassured her.

"… I was afraid…"

"Of what?"

"… I was afraid that… he would accept it…"

"Why? I would think you would want that!"

"I did… but at the same time it scared me so bad… I thought that it would first be gifts then a kiss, and before I knew it I was getting married to the guy and sleeping with him… and that scared me so bad I almost thought I would puke if I continued to think about it… I mean I like Vinny I really do… But I'm just not ready for a relationship like that……"

Aeris leaned back on the wall next to Yuffie and looked up at the high ceiling. "Well you _are_ only sixteen… And you have a _very_ long time to strengthen you're relationship with Vincent… Besides I don't think he would EVER allow someone to get so close to him so quickly," Yuffie nodded in understanding before Aeris continued. " But you can't always hide you're feelings like that," She started quietly. "Cloud and I almost didn't get married because Cloud was too shy to propose to me."

"Woah! Hold the PHS! You and Cloud got married? Wh-when!"

"Remember that party where Cid got so drunk we had to put him to bed because he kept vomiting everywhere?"

"What? You mean that was the wedding party? Where was I?"

"You left early because Barret kept picking on you for not wearing the most "formal" clothes…"

"At least I didn't looked like and incinerated marshmallow…" Yuffie mumbled. "Besides the only formal things I have are various Kimonos… and most of them I can't even get out of Wutai without ripping them or tripping on myself…"

Aeris laughed. "Oh don't worry we aren't angry. Though Cloud did seem a little disappointed that the cake wouldn't explode or something."

Yuffie burst out laughing. "No. Actually I was so mad at Barret I was thinking of stringing a series of ropes from the rafters of the church, swing down, and kick Barret straight into the cake! SPLAT!"

The two began to laugh so hard together they nearly forgot that they were trying to find the others and hopefully Cloud. They laughed long and hard together and their laughs were probably heard throughout the entire castle.

"What's so funny?" An unknown voice said from down the hall.

Aeris and Yuffie looked up at the approaching man and slowly calmed their laughter.

Yuffie was first to speak. "Aeris, this is Ansem the owner of Hallow Bastion." She said accordingly.

"Hello. My name is Aeris Giansborough" Aeris said with a little bow.

Ansem took Aeris' hand and kissed it. "It's a pleasure to meet you Aeris." He smiled and laughed a little bit. "Aeris… A name so beautiful it sounds that of an angel."

Aeris started to giggle like how she did with her first date with Cloud at the Gold Saucer, while Yuffie just rolled her eyes and mentally kicked herself in the head for introducing them.

"Ah, Aeris. How about I give you a tour of Hallow Bastion?" Ansem generously offered.

Aeris looked at Yuffie as if asking; 'do you mind?' Yuffie looked at Aeris and then back at Ansem, pondered something to herself, and then replied, "Go ahead Aeris. I can prank Squall on my own. You can catch up later… But if you need me, you can normally catch me in the garden." Yuffie flashed her traditional smile and then did a back flip in the direction of the garden.

"Shall we then?" Ansem said holding out the crook of his arm.

Aeris took his arm and replied with a smile, "Yes we shall." And then the tour started.

* * *

((A/N: Heh… Ansem as a gentleman iz still really hard for me to see… XD 

Cloud: He… kissed… her… hand…

RFC: Oh ya… Well I intended to put more things in but I have decided to end this part here because… well if I put the entire thing it you'd be reading almost 10 pages…

Cloud: He… kisses Aeris'… hand…

RFC: Um Ya I think we already established that…

Cloud: He kissed-

Yuffie with a roll of duct tape: That was getting annoying…

RFC: Tell me about it…

Yuffie: Hey why don't you give a preview of the next chapter… just to drive him insane…

RFC: Oh now that's a GREAT idea! –sneer-

**"This castle is so HUGE! I can't believe it!" Aeris said as she oohed and ahhed around every corner.**

**"Well it's getting quite late… I'll take you to you're room… we can continue tomorrow." Ansem said as he motioned his hand down another hallway.**

**The hallway (like many of the otheres) seemed to go on forever but finally Ansem has finally lead Aeris to her room.**

**"G'night fair Aeris, sweet dreams." He said as he gave her a very light kiss on the cheek.**

**"Oh Ansem," she slightly laughed. "No need to be so formal! Just call me Aeris."**

**Ansem too laughed. "Goodnight…" He said as he bowed his head slightly and closed the door to her room. "… Aeris must be mine…" He mumbled in a slightly lustful voice as he hurried off in the direction of the Library.**

Chapter III Part III: Obsession 

RFC: Lol Well there you have it! Ohh what evil little planz do Ansem have in store for poor little Aeris? You'll find out next chapter. And remember… the more reveiws I get the faster I update… XD

Aeris: … I'm not THAT poor… Yeesh… Just because I sell flowers that automatically says I'm poor?

RFC and Yuffie: …

Aeris: …

RFC: Would it help if I said money izn't everyting?

Yuffie: Nope… MATERIA is the only thing worth value here! XD

Aeris: …


	5. Awakening Part III: Darkness

((A/N: THE GREAT RFC IS BACK AND BETTER THAN EVER! Oh I am so sorry for completely abandoning my story… So very, very, very… sorry… I hit a writer's death-trap and I was really hating how I wrote stories… (that's how bad it was) So FINALLY after forever-and-a-half and a million hours of creative writing classes I'M READY TO ENTERTAIN YOU ONCE AGAIN! ^_^

Disclaimer: Kimahri make friends with dusty bunn-ees while Flame Cat Girl was hating her stories and refusing to write more… though she back now so it EES all gewd… as long as she no hurt Jiime… he my little dusty pet, who no own Squaresoft…))

**Chapter III: Awakening**

**Part III: Darkness**

To some silence is almost like insanity. Always gnawing at your mind, whispering its silent screams of the calloused memories that were once left in the dark, opening those scars of passed wounds, and striking their icy hands to ooze fear into your soul.

Silence is sometimes one of the hardest things to deal with. With its cold icy claws, your mind playing tricks on you. You think you hear a voice, hear a sound, or feel the hair on the back of your neck stand telling you of the presence of impending doom, silence can drive men to the brink of insanity.

And right on the edge of it all, there was Cloud, floating in an inescapable black abyss of nothing. Only light to be seen was the occasional pair floating yellow orbs that stared so intently at his limp body.

"I failed," Cloud said out loud, "failed Sora and Aeris… I tried to hold on, I wanted to hold on, but I couldn't." His voice broke the silence like a rock through glass, shattering its very existence.

Cloud exhaled slowly into the abyss. Each breath feeling like his soul was escaping through his lips. His mind was blank and he barely noticed he was breathing at all when the silence unearthed a long forgotten memory. Back to the time before Sora. Before Aeris. Before AVALANCHE. Back to when he was a SOLDIER.

_Cloud stood tall with his gun cradled in his arm. He among many others were lined up shoulder to shoulder awaiting orders._

_ "NOW LISTEN UP!" Their commander shouted, "You slime-bags might think this training is nothing but a waste of time, but I will tell you now, YOU ARE DEAD WRONG! Midgar is rumored to be the target of an attack, and we must be ready. If word gets out about the labs and the tests that go on here, there is no doubt a war will break out. _

_ "Now if you're feeling scared and want to go home and cry to mommy, IT'S TOO DAMN LATE FOR THAT! Mommy might as well be dead for where you are now! Now, I want every one of you to run the course twenty times, after that, the Turks have a little mission for you… DISMISSED!" The commander spat and signaled for them to begin their task._

_ Each soldier turned to their right and then one following the other, moved to the arena where the course was laid out. At first glance the course was noting too special, tires to run through, barbed wire to crawl under, and a trench where you were required to swim through. But every rookie is doomed to discover the truth that no sooner had one stepped onto the course, vicious beasts were released and you were left to fend for yourself. _

_ What the commander meant by "run the course twenty times" was survive for twenty minutes. And each time the creatures were to become more and more vicious and uncontrollable. Most soldiers didn't even last a minuet let alone twenty. Cloud couldn't stand to watch as most of the rookies were torn limb from limb as these creatures feasted on their innards._

_ Cloud often wondered to himself how the hell he survived the course when he knew for a fact that he was much weaker than your average rookie. Here he was, almost to the point of becoming the next rank up, and he felt so scarred most of the time. The screams of fallen men and beasts, the sounds of gunshots, and the smell... It was a wonder why more men didn't go AWOL. _

_ And yet even though he had considered it so many time somehow Cloud hung in there. Cloud despite his terror of becoming like the fallen rookies, managed to surpass the expectations of the commander and somehow become better than the rest of them. _

_ Though there was one other. Zack. He and Cloud were two of the best, but somehow Cloud always sold himself short when it came down to who was better._

"Zack…" Who knows how long it had been since he had seen him. He disappeared, so they told Cloud, but he couldn't find out anything else as to what happened to Zack. Cloud knew in his gut that there had to be more to the story… but he still hadn't found out anything…

"Wait… Maybe…" Gears grinded in his head, here he was in this abyss and where he was going, he had no idea. But what were the chances that Zack had ended up here?

Cloud looked to his left and there was a door. Nothing fancy, just a door waiting in the darkness. As Cloud's eyes focused on the door, gravity grabbed at his limbs and pulled him to the floor.

"Dammit!" He yelped as he fell square on his tailbone. His head swiveled trying to find signs of a floor, but there was nothing but black swirling clouds. He sighed and picked himself up. "And here I was expecting things to make sense…"

His boots clunked as he took each step closer to the door, and didn't hesitate to open it.

Like a black hole he was sucked in, falling… falling… falling. Where to land no one knows. The walls of this hole bleach white, with no real detail to them.

Cloud screamed as he tumbled down each sound wave echoing and crashing back into him. The longer he fell the thinner air became, and he began to hyperventilate and panic. His vision became blurry and as he felt his consciousness slipping, he stopped.

His eyes shot open and air rushed into his lungs. No pain, like the gravity forcing him into the floor, it was as if gravity had forgotten about him… or rather caught him. He looked up to see a creature come into vision. The outline and facial structure came first, each filling in like an ink droplet into water. Each portion oozing slowly into the other until a black winged wolf stood in front of him. The fur of this beat glistened purples and blues as it came closer to him. Pure black coat and ice blue eyes like Cloud.

Cloud eyed the wolf trying to read into its movements, trying to get inside its thoughts, trying to find out if it would eat him or befriend him.

It's eyes narrowed drawing back it's lips to reveal it's fangs and charge. What was instinct to grab the buster sword was now a futile arm swing to his weaponless back. Cloud braced himself and the wolf collided with him, passing right through him and leaving inky wisps from where it entered and exited.

Panicked Cloud spun, to see nothing but those familiar white walls on all sides, no wolf no nothing… except a sharp shooting pain in his back. He screamed out and clutched his shoulder as he could feel bones twisting and slowly breaking to assume a new shape on his back. Blood oozed out of the boned appendage now on his back, He screamed and rolled around trying to ease this horrendous pain in any way possible. His Mako infused limbs normally took to this kind of pain with no trouble, but he had never felt this much pain in his life. His vision clouded and as he ushered his very last scream, he blacked out.

As the bones finished melding and breaking into their new shape flesh from his back stretched to cover the bones. And like the inky wolf, the blood that he had lost evaporated the same way that phantom wolf had.

A single wing, ugly and fleshy, but it would grow stronger like its host. A sigh escaped Cloud's lips again, and slowly gravity remembered Cloud and pulled him slowly to a small star below…


End file.
